MacInTouch: Deleting bad cache files in OS X and finding bad pref files

MacInTouch Home Page

Dennis Sweet, meanwhile, explains that similarly strange symptoms can be produced by a different Mac OS X problem:

With Mac OS X, corrupted preference files may not be the only thing to look for.
I have had a weird problem with my Desktop. The problem only shows up with my username, and not any other users on the same Macintosh (a 15' AL Powerbook). The problem would show up when I would download a number of files, usually ten or more, to my desktop. I would then sort them into folders. The problem was evident as:

1. Some files wouldn't show up on the Desktop and/or there would be multiple copies of them.
2. When I transferred the files to folders (usually more than one at a time), the icons would reappear and/or the icons of the files that I didn't copy would move or duplicate on the Desktop.
3. Most of the time, icons that weren't being moved would seem to be duplicated. But if I deleted the duplicate icon, both icons would be deleted.

Selecting Cleanup from the View menu didn't help, even when some of the icons were mostly off-screen.
I just returned from the local Apple Store Genius desk, and the problem was a bad cache file. He deleted the Library:Caches:Desktop folder from my user home folder and I am back to normal. I had spent several weeks trying to find the bad Preferences file to avoid having to do a clean install. Hope this helps someone else.

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Also on the same theme, a script for finding bad pref files.

Plain Quiet Noise Reduction Headphones

Outside the Box

Plane Quiet $79.99

Plane Quiet is an industry leader in active noise reduction technology. The soft, ergonomic headsets offer the exceptional performance of comparable models at a fraction of the cost. Our patented design was tested on airline professionals and frequent fliers to ensure the highest quality and most comfortable fit. Plane Quiet eliminates up to 17 decibels across the sound spectrum, so you can relax and enjoy your favorite movie, music or pristine silence on your next flight, or anytime you need to block out unpleasant noise.

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Follow the link from TravelInsider and enter the code "travelinsider" to get 10% off.

Update 8/04: These have been disappointing. My first pair was clearly defective and they were replaced. The second set seemed ok, until I plugged it into a charging iPod. The 60Hz hum was deafening. Even being near electronic devices was a problem -- they picked up a hum. They seemed to have both a grounding and an antenna problem. They work best on airplanes (little interference) but aren't very useful on the ground.

Update 4/28/05: The cord finally broke, and I was free to replace these darned things. They weren't all bad, I got my money's worth I suppose -- but one year is short lifespan. I had been steeling myself, and I bought a pair of Bose II headphones for ... $300 (ouch, ouch, ouch)! The Bose come with a very nice case. They're probably only 3x as good as the Plane Quiets, so they're overpriced, but that's the way it goes.

My Next Digital Camera

John's Digital Photography Page

I love my Canon G2. Really, the best camera I've ever owned, even better than my first camera, the ancient SLR Minolta SR2.

I'll be ready to part, however, if Canon delivers a G6 with:

1. The Digital Rebel's 6 megapixel CMOS sensor. I want the light sensitivity of CMOS.

2. An internal but seviceable 30GB drive. Why should I need to bother with memory cards?

3. USB 2 or (better) Firewire data transfer.

4. Internal 32 bit data paths.

5. JPEG2000 native formats.

6. The G3 body and general features. I like that camera.

7. Ability to take highest res photos with no shutter lag and 1/4 sec or less intervals.

Except for the last there's no real technical challenge to any of this -- Canon could make the camera today and sell it for about $900. So I'm hopeful I'll get it in the fall of 2005 for $500.

Gigabyte's GN-WLBZ201 - USB wireless and thumb drive

Tom's Hardware Guide First Look: Gigabyte's GN-WLBZ201 - Wireless LAN Monitor, Continued

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Sounds useful!

iPhoto bug: there is not enough disk space ... how annoying ...

Apple - Discussions - Error exporting iPhoto4 slideshow to quicktim

I think it's an iPhoto bug arising from multiple causes. I do think that if you change your free space (either increase or DECREASE it) iPhoto will often decide you have enough room.

Try mucking with your disk space (heck, try using up some of it) and let us know if it works. The most common problem is a corrupted image however, and the only fix I know of is to hunt it down by serial export attempts.

Most recently this happened to me when I tried to export 512 images. I divided the set into half and exported the first half. Then I did the same and exported the next quarter. I repeated the process until I identified a SINGLE photo that, when I tried to export, produced the spurious error. The photo appeared fine -- iPhoto reported the normal size, etc.

I edited the photo in iPhoto 4, making an arbitrary crop. I then reverted to original. I then exported ALL of the remaining images without an error.

As an experiment I returned to the original 517 photos and tried exporting them en masse. This time it worked without any error message.

I'm told iPhoto 4 had a disastrous development process and a brutally short timeline to get from nothing to something that could be shoveled out the door. If there's one single thing that shows Jobs persistent weaknesses, it's Apple's attitude towards this key piece of software.

Very cool portable ethernet device, on fascinating web site

RoadWired

Auto-Retract Network/ISDN Cord
Price: $32.95
In stock, ready to ship!



Click on any image to enlarge
If you need to connect your notebook to a network or high-speed hub, particularly when traveling, this is a must-have accessory. Seven feet of high-quality, "Cat. 5e" certified cord with RJ-45 (network-type) connectors at either end, stored in a protective housing. Pull out to use, push button to retract. Built-in adapter system adds amazing versatility (see specifics at right).

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The phone connectors are wild. The only thing it needs is a crossover converter.

Members wanted: the Society for the Preservation of the True PDA (SPTPDA)

I moved this posting to a new blog dedicated to our society/cult.